Lawyers urge B.C. Supreme Court to approve iPhone class-action settlement

VANCOUVER — A lawyer for a group of Apple iPhone users whose devices allegedly slowed down after software updates says consumers would receive between $17.50 and $150 under a settlement agreement negotiated in a Canadian class-action lawsuit. 

Michael Peerless, a lawyer for the class members, told a B.C. Supreme Court judge in Vancouver that the amounts paid out will depend on the number of valid claims received from those who can prove ownership of the phones that include several iPhone 6 and 7 models. 

Peerless told Justice Sharon Matthews that similar litigation in the United States provided a “valuable road map” during settlement negotiations, which could see Apple pay out a maximum of about $14.4 million to class members in Canada. 

He told the court that the claims process will be very “simple,” with an online and paper-based option for people to use if they bought devices that had slow performance and battery trouble issues. 

Jill Yates, a lawyer for Apple, told the court the company has never admitted wrongdoing.

The judge has reserved her decision on approving the settlement until Feb. 21, 2024. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 29, 2024

The Canadian Press